Joe McEvoy’s final penalty kick of the game proved to be the decisive difference between these 2 sides in Saturday’s London Division 2SW league encounter. For the 2nd week running, McEvoy’s reliable boot was a significant contributor to Warlingham’s points total. He converts the pressure points with aplomb. Cornish came to Hamsey Green as league leaders with a record of 16 continuous league victories including 4 straight wins this season. This was fairly evident in their first-half performance which saw them encamped in Warlingham’s half for much of this period but the home side’s defence was solid throughout and it took the visitors 35 minutes to score their first try. This was after Warlingham lost prop forward Mike Freeman to the sin bin for repeated handling in the ruck. They added a further goal just before half time to give them a 12-0 lead at the interval.

Turning around with the wind in their favour, Warlingham began to use the elements to their advantage and turn their opposition and force them to defend and make errors. The Warlingham set scrum became more solid with props Freeman and Scutt supporting Jon Fox as replacement hooker. Cornish became rattled at this pressure and started conceding penalties at the breakdown. Although Mc Evoy missed with his first effort, he made no mistake with his second attempt and this fuelled the home side into playing further attacking rugby.
From a scrum in mid-field, lock forward Thornton broke tackles and charged 30 metres towards the Cornish line only to be brought down 5 metres short. Quick recycled ball saw Zack King feed Jack Atkinson to score a deserved try which McEvoy converted. 10-12 to the visitors.

Cornish then rallied and put further pressure on the hosts for the next 10 minutes but were unable to convert their pressure into points. Warlingham lost scrum-half James Agate with shoulder damage but were able to reposition and regroup with McEvoy stepping up to the scrum-half role. With the clock ticking down, Warlingham won a penalty just inside the visitor’s half. McEvoy delivered the 3 points. 13-12. Celebrations were however short-lived as Cornish rallied once more with a 25 metre rolling maul resulting in a penalty kick which they duly converted. 13-15.
In the dying seconds, Cornish won their own scrum ball well in their own half and their Number 8 picked up and ran upfield…………….only to be tackled by King who remained on his feet and won the final penalty. Enter McEvoy for the grande finale and cue the lavish celebrations.
After the match Head Coach Ben Stobart said: “I’m obviously highly-delighted with today’s result and performance. To beat the hitherto league leaders proves that we can compete with every club in this league and we will continue to improve.”

Next Saturday, Warlingham travel to New Malden and take on KCS Old Boys in the 6th round of the league competition.

Warlingham: McEvoy; Atkinson, Skinner, Saffrey, Osborne (capt.); Beaven, Agate; Freeman, Nunn, Scutt, Delderfield, Thornton, Dowling, King, Fair. Subs: (all used) Glover, Fox, Robson.